lb, re, "enshittification" and what happens next
So I've seen lots of links back to Cory's essay since it was written (see last boost). Thing is, there's a fix in the form of common carrier law.
Basically, data portability and interop standards are likely to get laws passed in California and the EU. And there'll be support from state actors (China, etc) on those too, so they don't lose their investments when a service locks the API and folds in the last stage of the enshittification cycle.
lb, re, "enshittification" and what happens next
This isn't out of the goodness of anyone's heart. It's, quite literally, so Elon and Zuck don't blow up service investment and spying efforts overnight and losing a bunch of eyeballs. Consumers putting pressure on lawmakers helps, too.
And it doesn't fix everything, not by a long shot. But in a strange twist, it does make things easier for consumers suffering at the end of these cycles, especially when they happen all at once.
lb, re, "enshittification" and what happens next
Anyway, that all is exceptionally terse, but this is also why I'm kind of an optimist here.
The worst impulses by people in power (bigger than tech bro billionaires) are likely to push to fix this to keep their investments afloat. And as with communication standards before the internet, the players and the game remain mostly the same.
lb, re, "enshittification" and what happens next
@Goldkin i don't look to deeply into these things but am grateful for the info on this that isn't just a "we're all gonna suffer!" Doom posting like some provided